STARFIRE Party Dress

So many ways to use fabrics for STARFIRE.  This group called Party Dress from Blue Hill Fabrics makes up into a sweet little girl quilt.  Most of the prints are quite light, so they create a blended background for the soft lavendar stars.

The border is cut 5"-- larger than the RoseCard patterns suggested 3 1/2".  I think that on the next printing, I will change the fabric requirements and the border size to 5" cuts.  The two quilts that I've made so far have that size, and I like it.

Preview 25

We love 3 1/2" strips!  They show off more of the fabric than 2 1/2" and they are quicker to sew.  This "invisible" 4 Patch has been a favorite of ours for years.  We have called it Madame Butterfly when we made it of 28 Asian strips.  In the Fryer Patch pattern version I called it What Four, because you can't tell that is is made up of 4x4 patch blocks.

This variation uses 14 "dark" strips and 14 Background strips.  The background can be cut from a single fabric or different fabrics.  The fabrics can be high contrast or low contrast/blending.  With borders it finishes 63"x 77".

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Take a Jelly Roll,  Bali Pop, Tonga Treat strips, and any of your other favorite 2 1/2" strip rolls.  Add a Theme fabric for fun or a Background fabric if you want the squares to stand out.   The pattern is basically Saratoga, but with the rails made in 4 squares instead of 2 rectangles.  There are loads of leftover rail pieces, so they become a border around the quilt finish framing the Theme Fabric.  This quilt is a generous throw at 60"x68"

The cover quilt is very busy, because I like lots of pattern and print.  Can't wait to make it in something softer, as well as something with more contrast.  And next time I will be more careful with my 1/4" seam allowance.  I did just about everything wrong--sewed at different times, used different machines.  It turned out to be a good thing that this is a busy one.

Mother's Day at Candlelite Quilts

I just got a call from Cathy at Candelite Quilts in Chelmsford Mass.  She needed more Freedom patterns quickly for a very successful Mother's Day promotion.  Go to the website candlelitequilts.com to get the details.  She is giving away a free pattern with a fabric pack purchase, which also includes a seed packet. They have a discount on backing and a tie-in with a quilter for special pricing on quilting these projects.  I love that they have a plan in place to get them done!  Cathy reports that they have sold dozens of packs just in the first day!  Obviously a great idea--thanks, Cathy--and have a great Mother's Day.

Preview 29

Time to use those wonderful 2 1/2" strips, or cut them from our Fat Sixths (12"x 22").  Just a little warning here, though.  This pattern only works if your strip pack has 2 each of 20 different fabrics--Timeless Treasures Tonga and Anthology Fabrics work.  So do the Fat Sixths, because you get 4 half strips from each.  The math is the reason.  One strip yields 1 1/2 blocks, so we use 2 identical strips (or 4 half strips) to get 3 blocks. 

The patterns also needs 3/4 yard for centers, and 3/8 yard or 1 Fat Quarter for the little background filler.

All pieces are cut the same size, so there is not much to think about--just fun with fabric!

Preview 28

I love medallion quilts--easy ones, that is.  This cheery little quilt uses 20 10" squares or 10 Fat Sixths (12"x 22").  If you have a Layer Cake pack of 40 squares, you could sort them into 2 stacks and make 2 quilts.  It never hurts to get ahead on those baby quilt gifts.

 The quilt finishes 36"x45" or 47"x 56" with a 6" cut border. 

The cover shows the center squares of just 2 different fabric for a Four Patch look.  It can certainly be 4 different fabrics.  This is also one that could feature a special center piece.  The center is 18" finished.  If your center piece is not that big, put a border around it.  That border might be good to set it off, anyway. 

Preview 22

This charming little quilt uses that little pack of  40  5" squares you picked up.  Add some border fabric, and in no time you have a showcase of a favorite fabric collection. 

It finishes 36"x 45".  Extra yardage needed--1 yd for the bordering, 1/2 yd for binding. 

Can't you also see a special fabric or a little embroidered piece subbed for that center 9" square?  I have some vintage pieces of linens that would be wonderful there--after all of my deadlines are met.